It's Her, I Know It!
by Yondaime Namikaze
Summary: They were the perfect couple until the Homecoming disaster happened, taking his angel from him. However, no matter how much his family and friends try to convince him that she is gone forever, he refuses to believe it. Drew x May. 1st Pokemon story.
1. The Back Story

**So, this is my first story for Pokémon, so I just knew that I had to make it a Drew/May story because they are my favorite pairing. Also, random alert, but I love this new Word. The formatting is dumb, but it has words like Pokémon, InuYasha, Kagome, and Kikyo programmed right into the dictionary. I found that out last night while typing out a chapter of an old InuYasha story.**

**Anyway, just be awhile that this one is going to be a bit tragic. Be prepared. Also, songs will be a big part of this one. Trust me.**

**The first chapter is back-story and won't be too long, but I want to see how this story is received before I continue. Enjoy.**

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><p><span>The Back Story<span>

The hallway was filled with them—posters advertising Homecoming. In front of one of these posters stood two people, a boy and a girl. They were dressed casually, like always. The boy wore light blue jeans, a navy shirt, and a short-sleeved purple jacket. The girl wore a tight-fitting short-sleeved shirt, blue and white biker shorts, and a red and white bandanna over brown pigtails.

These two seniors were well-known through Hoenn High School. In fact, Mable Maple and Andrew Russo had been the winners of the Hoenn High's Cutest Couple since their sophomore year. They had known each other since elementary school. Even before they got together, their classmates would whisper about how cute a couple they'd be.

It was almost time to return to class, so Andrew got right to the point. "Mable, will you go with me to Homecoming?"

"Drew, do you even have to ask?" his girlfriend replied.

Andrew winced. He hated being called "Drew". It was too simple. "I'm just trying to be traditional. So, that means 'yes'?"

"Of course that means yes!"

Andrew and Mable kissed and then headed separate ways to their next classes after promising to meet up on their way to lunch.

Andrew had two classes left before lunch. Right now, it was time for his personal favorite class, Math. He loved math because he was really good at it. Taking his seat before the bell, Andrew looked over his homework for the test that the class was going to be having that period.

He didn't get very far in his studying, though, before he was disturbed.

"So, did'ja ask her, Drew?"

Andrew looked up with a glare on his face. "How many times have I told you, Ash, that my name is 'Andrew' not just 'Drew'?"

Ash, who hated his full name, couldn't imagine why his best friend never liked to shorten his name. "What's the crime in shortening names,_ Andrew_?"

"I just don't like it, okay! And, yes, I did ask Mable, but I didn't need to. Of course we're going together."

"Man, you've got it easy. I wish that I could have that kind of luck with Misty."

"Just be yourself," Andrew advised. "She likes that."

Ash thought about this for a minute. "You might be right."

"You know, Ash, you might want to study. This test will be a killer, especially for you, if you don't."

"Darn it, I didn't do last night's homework. Oh, no, I'm gonna fail," he said as he ran back to his seat so that he could cram quickly.

Andrew went back to his studying, but his thoughts kept drifting to the Homecoming dance and how much fun it was going to be with Mable by his side.

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><p><strong>That be the back story. I know it's short, but if this is received well, there will be new chapters very, very soon.<strong>

**P.S. Contestshipping is so adorable and I'm glad that I am making my first Pokémon story about them. Drew was my favorite back in the day, Ash was second, and Misty was third. Now you know why they were the first to be mentioned in the story. I'm not a huge, huge fan of May, but she had to be in to make it work.**

**So…anyway, new chapter will be up very soon…if this story is well-liked. ;)**


	2. Homecoming Disaster

**I've got a little time before class and I guess this story is deserving of an update, so…here's chapter 1. Not much to say on my end, so…enjoy. It's a bit longer than the back story because it features the main story.**

**Almost forgot. There are often little excerpts of songs in this fanfic. I assume no rights to them. They belong to their respective creators and singers.**

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><p><span>Homecoming Disaster<span>

Everything was going perfectly. The football team had won the Homecoming game. Andrew and Mable had a great dinner. It was time for the dance.

Andrew cleaned up nicely in his suit and Mable looked stunning in a sky-blue strapless dress.

Known for having a reputation of being a rich couple, no one was surprised when the two arrived in a shiny, white limo.

Upon arriving, they promptly exited the limo and walked hand-in-hand into the building. Every student in the building turned to stare as the couple entered.

"Hey! Drew! May!" a shout echoed through the entry hall. Andrew visibly sighed as Ash ran up to greet them.

"Hey, you look great, Ash. You'd think that your actions would be as sophisticated as your looks. Maybe you should grow up a bit?"

Ash, not recognizing the insult that Andrew had just thrown at him, just laughed and said, "Where's the fun in that, Drew?"

Angered a bit by Ash, Andrew said, "Come on, Mable. Let's go."

They started to make their way through the crowd, but another shout caught their attention before they got too far away.

"Ashton Ketchum!"

Everyone turned to see Misty, in a long elegant yellow dress, quickly approach. Her short, fiery orange hair was tied up in a ponytail to the side just like she always wore it. "I leave for a minute and you run off! What kind of dance partner are you?" she yelled.

"Notice how she did not say the word 'date'," Andrew whispered to Mable, earning himself a small laugh from his girlfriend.

Ash, wincing at the use of his full name, tried quickly to explain. "I'm sorry. I just noticed Drew and May and went to greet them."

Having not previously noticed the other two, Misty's expression softened. "Hey, it's good to see you two…even though everyone knew that you'd be here." Taking a breath, she finished by saying to Ash, "Don't think that I'm going to forgive you. Let's go in now." As they began to leave, Misty called back to Andrew and Mable, "It really was good seeing you two."

After Misty and Ash were out of range to hear them, Andrew turned to Mable with a smirk and told her, "Boy, she sure has him whipped, huh?"

Mable laughed and replied, "Maybe I should be that way to you, huh, Drew?"

All humor gone, Andrew took Mable's hand and said, "Come on. Let's go in now as well."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Having been to every dance together since middle school, the night was predictable. As expected, Andrew and Mable were elected by the student body to be homecoming king and queen. Because of this, they had one slow dance alone while everyone else in the room stared in awe.

The three hours went quickly and, before long, the final song, one last slow song played for the couples. Though the music was loud, the soft gentle tone of the song shown through as the words echoed off the walls.

_I will remember you._

_Will you remember me?_

_Don't let your love pass me by._

_Weep not for the memories._

Andrew being familiar with the song, sang the words in his head as he gazed into Mable's beautiful blue eyes.

All too soon, the song ended. Andrew placed a quick kiss on Mable's lips as they parted. "Let's go quickly before Ash finds us," Andrew whispered to Mable who nodded in agreement.

Holding each other's hands, the couple walked outside to find the rented white limo waiting for them. Noticing their approach, the chauffeur opened the back door of the limo so that the couple could enter.

As the limo pulled away, Andrew slid his hand across the backseat to grasp Mable's rest hand. He would not let go of her hand; it felt so nice and peaceful in his own.

They were passing some woods near Mable's home when the atmosphere changed. All Andrew heard was a screech of brakes. Stealing a quick glance at Mable, he saw the worry etched onto her beautiful face as she gripped his hand tighter. Andrew tried to see what was happening, but he had no time to focus before momentum forced his head into the seat in front of him. This caused him to accidentally release his hand from the grasp of his girlfriend's. "Mable!"

"Drew!" That horrid word was the last thing he heard before his vision blackened and the sounds of his world fell void.

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><p><strong>Oh how I hate hurting Drew. He's my favorite. That scene was very hard to write, but I think it came out beautifully…despite the tragedy of it.<strong>

**Next chapter will be out soon, so enjoy this one for now. Chapter 2 will be the last one for awhile. I'm still working on chapter 3.**


	3. Good News and Bad News Too

**I intended to post this chapter up a few days ago, but my weekend's been pretty hectic. This chapter is a little dull, but it's got a lot of substance to it. Next chapter isn't quite finished yet…actually, I only just started it. It may be awhile, but that gives everyone time to savor what is already written.**

**Also, I hadn't yet titled this chapter, so the title is a bit impromptu. Just a heads up.**

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><p><span>Good News...And Bad News Too<span>

_You are pulled from the wreckage_

_Of your silent reverie._

_You're in the arms of the angels._

_May you find some comfort here._

The soft, sweet feminine voice drifted through Andrew's mind, reviving and stimulating his suspended thoughts. Upon opening his eyes, he was forced to shut them again. All he had seen was white, which stung his dilated pupils. _**Am I dead?**_

Hesitantly, Andrew slowly opened his eyes again, allowing his vision to sharpen and focus. Once he could distinguish objects again, Andrew saw that he was in a hospital room. That was when the various medical scents of latex, sterilization, medicine, and many other things hit his nasal cavity. Why had he not noticed these scents before?

"Oh, Andrew, my boy! That Heaven, you've waken. Your father and I were so worried!"

Before Andrew could register anything else, he was scooped into a surprisingly strong hug by his mother's small form, her pure blond hair ticking his puzzled face.

"Now, now, don't crowd the poor boy," came next the voice of Andrew's confidant blue-haired father as the older Russo entered the room with the nurse-on-duty.

Andrew's mother let go of her son and moved aside so the young nurse could check the boy's vitals. This ordeal took several minutes as she touched a few of Andrew's pressure points, chucking his pulse, breathing, blood pressure, and the computer reading of his brain activity. After what seemed to Andrew like days, the nurse righted herself and walked over to the Russo parents. Speaking loud enough for Andrew, from the hospital bed, to also hear, the nurse gave them all the report from her observations. "Andrew's vitals are stable. His condition has definitely improved. Brain activity looks good, but there is still a possibility for minor memory loss. No need to worry about that, though, because it will be normal, and temporary. I will go call the doctor now so he can provide a more extensive check and provide for you all a more intensive check and suggestion for the next steps."

The nurse exited the room, leaving Andrew with his parents. Curiosity filled the boy and he quickly asked, "Where is Mable? Which room is she in?"

There was a long pause as Andrew's parents tried to figure out what to say to their son. Andrew glanced between them, confused. Mr. Russo was always so confidant in everything he did, making up for the ditziness of Mrs. Russo. What was going on with them?

"On, Andrew…" Mrs. Russo began before a soft knock on the doorframe interrupted the moment.

Without waiting for a reply, the doctor entered the room. Just as the nurse had done, he checked over Andrew. However, this check was more extensive, taking double the time that the nurse's had. Once he felt confidant with his observations, he stepped back from the hospital bed.

Addressing all three in the room, he gave them his report. "I have nothing but good news for you all. Andrew will make a full recovery. Luckily, there was no brain damage. The coma was just a result of Andrew hitting his head with force. As Joy probably mentioned earlier, minor issues of memory loss may occur, but those are not worth stressing about too much. As for the next steps, I would like to keep Andrew here another night or two just to monitor his condition I personally think he will be fine, but I just want to make sure. Once Andrew is released, I do want him to take it easy for a week or two. In closing, Andrew will be back to himself by Christmas."

When he heard the name of the anticipated holiday, Andre tried to sit up straighter, but the jumble of wires set him back. "I'd like to hope I'd be better by Christmas," he spoke sarcastically, "That's like a month and a half away and I feel fine." He saw his parents glance between themselves. Why did they keep doing that? What were they not telling him?

"Actually, Andrew," the doctor started, pulling the day's newspaper over to show the boy, "Christmas is only a couple weeks away."

Andrew read the date printed on the paper. He reread it at least three more time, but he just couldn't understand it. Homecoming dance night had been a month and a half ago? How could he have been in a coma for a month and a half yet feel perfectly fine now?

Once that was all settled, the doctor exited to continue his duties, leaving Andrew alone with his parents once again. Andrew's impatience, a trait he had acquired from his father's side of the family, (of course, he'd pretty much acquired everything from that side) got the better of him and he inquired for answers. Looking both of his parents in the eyes, he demanded the truth and nothing but. "Tell me what really happened. Everything. Don't leave anything out. I want to know exactly what is going on."

There was a pause and the air between parents and son seemed to take on an electric charge. Finally, Mr. Russo spoke, "You remember the accident, right, Andrew?"

_**What kind of question was that?**_ Andrew wondered. Of course he remember the accident. How could he possibly forget it?

At Andrew's nodded reply, his father continued. "We got a call…one that we never expected and one that we hope to never get again…'Mr. and Mrs. Russo, this is the police. We are sorry to inform you that there has been a tragic accident. Of the three passengers in the vehicle, two are presumed dead, including the driver. Your son is in critical condition and has been taken to the intensive care unit…'"

Mr. Russo kept talking, but Andrew stopped listening. Mable. Presumed dead. Those words played back through his mind over and over again. He didn't want to believe it. Another thought crossed Andrew's mind. He did not want to know the answer, but he blurted out the question before he could think any more about it. "When's the funeral?" he asked quickly, interrupting whatever his father was saying.

"Oh, Andrew, the funeral was a while ago now. We all had hoped you would be able to come, but Fate just didn't work that way," his mother replied, passing him a few pictures she had taken at the service.

Andrew looked through them, not believing that Mable was dead and that he had missed the funeral, even though that had been out of his control. "Closed casket?"

The body was never actually found," Andrew's father answered his son's question. "It was believed that…well, you wouldn't have wanted to know, son."

Andrew really wanted to believe that Mable was still alive, but his parents' words nagged at his mind, telling him to believe otherwise. He felt conflicted and this all mocked his usually controlled emotions.

A knock on the door startled the three, but the tension that had crept into the room remained, invisibly hanging over everyone's heads like an early morning haze. The nurse, who entered slowly, noticed this as she set down a plate of dinner for Andre. Nodding a quick acknowledgment to Andrew's parents, she left without a word.

Andrew slowly pulled off the cover that was trapping the steam of the food and look at what he had been brought. Grilled chicken in gravy with a side of peas and carrots. _**Fantastic…**_

Mr. and Mrs. Russo left and Andrew was alone with the "food" he had been brought. He did not want to eat, feeling guilty for surviving the accident.

Forcing himself to eat, he finished quickly and set the empty plate on the stand beside the hospital bed. Also on the stand were the pictures that his mother had given him. Andrew picked them up and flipped through them again. It still didn't seem real.

Feeling his eyes start to water, he set the pictures down again. Andrew hated crying. It made him feel weak. Shedding tears had always been a strong blow to his confidant attitude, the one that Mable had both loved and hated.

That last thought sent the tears flowing. He could not stop thinking about her. _**Why had she been the one to die? Why was I the only one spared and allowed to go on living? How am I ever going to survive without her in my life? It all just isn't fair.**_

Despite it being early in the evening, Andrew, tear tracks framing his face, cried himself to sleep that night.

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><p><strong>So much death today. *sigh* I watched the new ep of Thundercats 2011 today (twice already and will be watching it more before next Saturday) and Lion-O died in that ep. Therefore, I felt that today was a good (maybe not the best word, but I guess it fits) day to post this…even though I intended to do it earlier.<strong>

**I changed the ending of this a bit. Put more substance into Andrew's thoughts. Updates are going to slow down a lot now. I just started writing the next chapter and the semester is coming to an end. Everyone knows what that means…**

**I will talk with you again when the next chapter is released…or you could read any of my other stories. Then you may hear from me again sooner. ;)**


	4. Return To Normality?

**So…it's been a few months…okay, more than a few, but I did write up enough to update. Bad news: I have lost the notebook in which I was writing this story. I tore up my whole house and apartment at university. It's just…gone. Luckily, I remember enough to write this chapter up right onto my laptop. However, I hate starting over from scratch and my OCD refuses to allow me to just pick up another notebook and keep writing. I truly am sorry and I've let you all down. Hopefully, I can get another chapter(after this one) posted soon because I have so many ideas for the story. In the meantime, you can read my other May x Drew story or visit my current stories in The Hunger Games and How To Train Your Dragon fandoms.**

**Once/If I find my notebook again, I will fix this chapter up and continue writing, so…until then…**

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><p><span>Return to Normality?<span>

Somehow Andrew slept through the night, but his sleep was plagued with nightmares. Over and over again, that night played through his mind, leaving him tossing and turning. He was brought back to the living world by the sounds of voices, two very familiar voices.

"I thought you said that he was awake. He's not awake." _**Ash**_, Andrew knew instantly.

"I said that he was no longer in a coma. Never did I say that he would be awake when we came in to visit this morning. It's still early." That was the more temperate voice of Misty.

Andrew wanted to smirk and reply, but he chose to wait and listen. The two pulled up chairs beside the bed and waited, hoping that their friend would soon awaken. He knew that he could not wait forever, that they would most likely leave if he did not wake soon, so he chose to make his presence known. "She's right. Some of us need our beauty sleep," Andrew, opening his emerald eyes as he spoke, mocked Ash. "Guess that explains why I'm better looking."

The two who had just taken their seats stood up quickly. "Andrew!"

Morning flew by as the trio took that time to catch up with each other and, mostly, fill Andrew in on what he had missed while in the coma. None of them brought up Mable.

"Oh, yeah, that reminds me!" Misty spoke up as the conversation turned toward the subject of school. "I brought some of your make-up work. Now you'll have something to do while you sit in this lame bed!" Misty exclaimed as she set (none too gently, mind you) a heavy stack of school books and papers onto Andrew's hospital bed.

"Great…thanks," Andrew replied with an edge of sarcasm as he shifted the books so they were no longer crushing his still-healing body.

"That's right!" Ash spoke up suddenly. "Because Andrew has all this make-up work, I now have higher grades than him. Finally!"

His cheering was brought to an abrupt halt when Andrew smirked and replied, "For now. Once I finish all this work, I will be top of the class once more." Even though Ash was one of Andrew's best friends, the latter couldn't deny that joking around like this did help him to take his mind off of all the startling revelations he had learned just within the last day.

The hospital door opened and the daytime nurse walked in, wheeling the breakfast cart in as well. "Good to see you up, Andrew…and you have visitors too. Fantastic! Well, word through the halls is that they're thinking about releasing you today, so I brought you a special breakfast!"

Knowing that whatever meal he was to receive was no more special than any of the other patients', Andrew, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, allowed the nurse to set the covered plate onto the tray in front of him. The nurse left, telling Andrew that his doctor would probably be stopping by within an hour or two.

Ash and Misty looked on as Andrew lifted the steam-soaked cover off of the platter on which his breakfast lay. There, he found a couple pancakes and a few sausage links.

"That looks…" Misty trailed off, trying to find the right words to say.

"Soggy," Ash finished, not caring about sugarcoating his opinion.

Andrew grabbed the fork and poked at the meal. How he could not wait to go home and eat real food!

Misty stood up, grabbing Ash's arm as she did. "Well, we should be going anyway. Enjoy your…breakfast and see you soon!" Quickly, Andrew's two friends exited the room, leaving Andrew with the food. The boy took a couple bites and, finding it dissatisfying, set it aside.

After she had finished her rounds delivering the barely-edible breakfast, the nurse returned to gather Andrew's discarded food. "Not hungry?"

He shook his head and returned to staring out the window. His room was up several floors and he was greeted with a pleasant view of the Hoenn region.

A knock on the doorframe, however, snapped his attention back into the room. The doctor entered. "I'm sure you've heard by now, but I think you are ready to leave the hospital. I just want to do some checks though and if everything is fine, I will release you."

Andrew hated doctors and their "checks", but he wordlessly complied, silently hoping that he could finally leave this place. A few minutes later, he heard the doctor tell the nurse to go grab the release papers. Once the nurse had left, he told Andrew that he would be leaving to give the Russo parents a call and that Andrew was to "hang tight" until they came to the hospital to pick him up and take him home. The boy did not say anything because, really, what was he to say? He already planned to "hang tight" anyway because there was nothing else he could do. The doctor left and Andrew went back to looking out over the beautiful Hoenn region beyond the confines of the hospital.

About a half hour later, Andrew's parents arrived at his hospital room. He was relieved to see that they had brought a set of clothes for him to put on; he was even more relieved to see that this set of clothes just happened to be his favorite one. It was all there: the light blue jeans, navy long-sleeved shirt, and purple short-sleeved jacket. While his parents signed the various release papers, Andrew, shakily, walked to the in-room bathroom to change out of the hospital's generic gown and into his comfortable street clothing.

Inside the bathroom, he had to keep one hand on the wall to maintain stability. It had been so long since he had to walk or even stand. Because of this, it took him a little longer to change, but, finally, he finished and exited the bathroom. Back out in the hospital room, he was pleased to see that his parents had finished signing and he could finally leave.

His parents led the way to their SUV, but they took the distance at their son's pace, knowing that he had to readjust. On the way home, his parents talked, but Andrew did not listen to much of what they were saying. His thoughts were miles away, playing back that last night with her._** Why did you take her? I would gladly have gone in her place. Was there something more I could have done? To better shield her from your evil hand, O Death?**_

"Andrew, we're home." The soft declaration broke Andrew from his thoughts as he saw that they were indeed parked inside the two-car garage attached to his home. His parents exited the vehicle and made to enter the house, but Andrew chose to sit in the silence for a little while longer.

Time passed and, finally, Andrew decided to head inside. Slowly, he exited the SUV, shut the door, and entered the house. Immediately, he was met by his family's pet, Poochyena. The little dog pokémon was eager to see the boy and he was able to forget his troubles as he ran his hands down its soft fur. He had missed Poochyena about as much as the pokémon had missed him. He just hadn't realized it until now.

Silently, he snuck into the big house, avoiding his mother's question about what he wanted to eat for dinner that night, and went into his bedroom. Collapsing onto his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, still trying to process the overflow of information he had received throughout these last couple days.

Beside his bed sat his laptop. He shifted slightly, grabbed it and sat up, placing the laptop on the bed in front of him. He turned it on and waited for it to load. Once he had signed on and the laptop had completely loaded, he clicked on the internet icon and opened up his Facebook page. Andrew was not prepared for the overwhelming number of notifications that greeted him. Many had written on his Facebook wall, wishing him well or sending condolences. As soon as he had logged in, the Facebook Chat messenger exploded as a large number of his friends sent instant messages welcoming him back. It became too much for the startled boy and he had to opt to make himself invisible. Later, he would respond to them, but not yet.

Clicking a link, he was taken to his page. There at the top, near his picture, he softly read out the information he had listed. "Goes to Hoenn High School. In a relationship with Mable Maple." This was no longer accurate. He clicked the "Edit information" link and hovered his mouse over the relationship status section. Upon clicking, he shifted his gaze to the one-word status at the very top of the list. Single. Again, he hovered his mouse over this word, but he quickly shut the laptop because he could think about changing it to that. Yes, it was true, he was now single once again, but…this made it seem too final, too real. He couldn't change it. Not yet. Someday, he would have to face the truth, but, for now, he just wanted to embrace the past.

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><p><strong>I don't quite remember how I ended the chapter, but this is an improvement. Until I find my notebook, this is it, I guess. I'm not going to label this complete because there is still much to tell.<strong>

**Think not that this is the end. Think merely that it is a stepping stone. This story will return someday; I am sure of that. I just need to find that stupid notebook. Again, I apologize everyone and thanks for reading.**


	5. Melancholy and Memories

**So, I was thinking after I posted the last chapter. It's not you guys' fault that I lost my notebook. That was my own dumb fault. You all shouldn't be punished for something that I did. Therefore, the story will continue. Yes, I will "wing it". Besides, I didn't have any other chapters written down in that notebook already anyway. I've got a pretty good idea of how I envisioned the story going from here and I've even changed up that vision some.**

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><p><span>Melancholy and Memories<span>

The weeks leading up to Christmas came and went. As per request of his parents, Andrew caught up on his missed schoolwork and current schoolwork in those weeks. He would return to Hoenn High School after the winter holiday break. As hard as it was to concentrate on the work, it did help him to take his thoughts from the loss of Mable.

Most years, at Christmastime, Andrew's relatives would gather at his home. This year, though, his parents decided it best to travel for the holiday. Instead of the family gathering at the Russo house, the Russo family would go to them. This, they figured, would be best to soothe their son's raw memories. For three years, Mable would spend many days with them. It just wasn't the same.

While away from home, Mr. and Mrs. Russo could see genuine smiles illuminate their son's face. The young man loved his cousins, especially little Brianna. The middle-schooler adored her older cousin and the boy's parents were just glad to see him truly happy again. However, it did not last. They returned home a few days before New Year's Eve and Andrew relapsed into his depressed mood.

How could he be happy, though? It was winter break. This was supposed to be times of hot chocolate together after a drawn-out snowball fight. These were memories that he would never forget. As he stared out the window that afternoon, he couldn't help but remember this simpler and better time.

888

"_Hey, look there, Mable! A reindeer!" He told her, pointing off into the distance behind his house._

"_Where?" she asked, turning. She always was gullible, but he loved this about her._

_Before she could turn back, he'd gathered up a snowball in his gloved hand and thrust it at her. The visible chill it sent down her spine gave the desired effect. He doubled over laughing, not seeing her gather up her own snowball. "Oh, it is on!" she had yelled, releasing the snowball._

_The snowball battle had gone on for almost an hour, neither wishing to give in. Even Andrew's family's Poocheyena had come out to see what all the fuss was about. Finally, Andrew and Mable collapsed into the snow, enjoying the feeling of the white fluffiness as it continued to fall. They both gasped slightly for breath from running all through the yard._

"_What d'ya say…want some hot chocolate…, Mable?" Andrew asked between gasps._

"_That…sounds wonderful," she replied, her response also broken by her gasps._

_As if their minds had been read, the minute they walked into Andrew's house from the garage door, they saw two steaming mugs of fresh hot chocolate sitting on the dining room table. They had begun to walk briskly toward them, but were immediately stopped by Mrs. Russo. "Oh, no, you two are not going to catch pneumonia as long as I am here. Get those wet clothes off first. Mable, you may change in the bathroom. Andrew, you go back to the garage. Once you both have dry clothing on, you may have this hot chocolate."_

_The two teenagers had laughed, but they both knew that there was no arguing with Andrew's mother. "Oh, and Andrew, while you're out there, dry off Poocheyena a bit, would you?"_

_Obliging, the two split up. Shutting the garage doors, Andrew turned to his family's Pokémon pet. "Well, guess it's you and me, huh? The boy changed quickly and then grabbed a nearby towel. As he approached Poocheyena, the dog pokémon chose that moment to shake itself dry, showering the fully-dried boy with fresh melted snow. "Wonderful…" he drawled sarcastically in reply as he toweled off the pokémon._

_When they were both as dry as they were going to get, they both entered the house. Mable was already at the dining room table and she had claimed one of the hot chocolate mugs, leaving Andrew with no choice, but he wasn't picky anyway; even if he would've finished first, he would've let Mable choose which mug she wanted._

_Together they sipped their hot chocolate and watched from the dining room bay window as the snow continued to softly fall outside._

888

That had been three years ago now. What a wonderful Christmas that had been! It was their first official Christmas together. They had spent other Christmas seasons together as friends, but it was this one that marked their first as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Now, though, Andrew was alone with Poocheyena. He just couldn't take it anymore and decided to take a walk into downtown Hoenn. It was not far, luckily; his parents still were a little uneasily about letting him drive again just yet. "After the holiday break," they had told him.

Hoenn was not a big city, but it was big enough for window shopping, which is exactly what he planned to do. He'd walk down the main street and then head back home before his parents came home from work. To make the experience less awkward, he chose this time to take Poocheyena for a walk. At least, then, they could be awkward today…and Poocheyena would get some exercise.

One door was propped slightly open. Andrew did not know why, though. It was very cold today. In addition to his winter jacket, he had thrown on a scarf, a hat and his gloves. From inside the small store, he heard a familiar song.

"_It's something unpredictable,_

_But in the end is right._

_I hope you had the time of your life."_

Immediately he walked on, urging Poocheyena forward. He did not want to hear that song right now. **_My life will never be right again._**

Further down the road, he came across a girl. She looked to be not much older than he was, but she was visibly dirtier. She must have been homeless. Andrew knew that there were homeless living along the streets of Hoenn, but he had never come across them before.

As if sensing his approach, she came to him and clung to his arm. "Repent, good boy! Repent for the end is near!" she cried out, startling him with the volume that her voice projected.

**_Oh, she's one of them…_** Wrenching his arm out of her grasp, he turned directly to face her to be sure that she could hear his reply. "My world already ended." Tugging slightly on the leash he was holding, Andrew turned to go back the way he'd come. "Let's go home, Poocheyena."

888

That evening, Drew found a photo album that his mother had created. It held many pictures of Andrew and Mable. Lying on his bed, Andrew flipped open the bulky book. So many pictures were enclosed and, with each, the memories. There were many formal pictures from the dances that they had attended together, but there were also some informal pictures as well. Turning the page, Andrew found a picture of him and Mable standing side-by-side in his garage. They were both soaked to the bone, their hair clinging to their faces and necks and their clothes dripping a pool of water on the concrete floor. Yes, that night had been interesting.

888

_It was their first fight and it had been ruthless. Their relationship was tattered and its fate hung in the balance. They had been hanging out at his house when it happened and she had run out in tears, determined to run all the way back to her house because she was, at the time, not yet old enough to drive._

_There was no way that he would let her do that, especially since he could see that a storm was coming. No thoughts were needed as he ran after her, the rain beginning to fall around them. When he was close enough, he called out to her, "Mable, wait!"_

_Surprisingly, she did stop, but she didn't turn back to face him. When Andrew caught up to her, he gently turned her to face him. "I'm sorry, "he apologized, his voice soft against the raging storm, "for everything."_

_Her soft reply was a simple "Me too."_

_Their apologies were accepted with a kiss as the heavens let loose, but the couple could care less. They had each other and they were together and that was all that mattered. That is…until the lightning and thunder began._

_Jagged strikes of lightning tore through the night sky. Loud booms of thunder quickly followed, shaking the world around them. Andrew had felt Mable grip his shirt in fear and he tightened his grip on her. "Don't worry, Mable. I'll always be here and I'll always protect you," he whispered. "Please don't be scared. Let's go back to my place where it's safe."_

_They had not run very far from his home. In fact, they had not even left the housing development in which he lived. Upon arriving back at Andrew's house, it did not take them long to change into drier clothing. Mable had not expected to need a change of clothes so, because she did not have a spare set, Andrew lent her a pair of his own. On that night, Andrew knew that he would never forget how cute Mable looked when she was wearing his clothes._

888

Turning back to a page that was almost at the start of the album, Andrew found a picture that showed him with Mable when they were younger. Though the faded picture was taken over ten years prior, he still remembered the night it had been taken.

888

_It was a calm summer night. Andrew and Mable would be entering kindergarten in a few short weeks. The Russo family had invited the Maple family over for a cook-out that evening. Soon Mable would have a younger brother or sister, so Andrew's parents thought it would be good to invite them for dinner._

_After dinner, the children played in the backyard, their energies high from eating. They played hide-and-seek and tag and many other games. As the sun begun to set, Andrew heard a slight shriek from his best friend. The sound drew him to her._

"_Mable, what's wrong?" his high-pitched voice was full of worry, thinking that something bad had happened to her._

"_A bug attacked me! It flew into my hair!" she screamed._

_Andrew, a little nervous about picking through her hair just to find this bug, approached, but helped it out when he saw a short flash of light. Once he had pulled it out, she showed it to her. "It's just a lightning bug. Watch!" He released the bug and it flew back into the sky in front of them. Its light blinked a few more times before it drifted out of sight. He could see that she was amazed, so he continued. "Mommy says that they come out every summer night. Then, when it gets really dark, they are everywhere and it's really pretty."_

_Together, they lay in the grass and watched as more lightning bugs began to flicker up around them. It was quiet for a while as the kids, but Andrew was the first to break this silence. "You're so lucky, Mable."_

"_How come, Andrew?"_

"_You're going to have a brother or sister soon. Mommy and Daddy told me they don't want any more kids."_

"_Why, Andrew?"_

"_They said that I was good enough."_

_Silence again fell over, but this time it was Mable who broke it. Grabbing Andrew's hand, she pulled him up. "Come on!"_

_Andrew, who was just enjoying the scenery, was slow to follow. "Why?"_

"_I'm taking you to my fairy princess castle!"_

"_Fairy princess castle?"_

"_Yes, I'm the princess and you're my prince!"_

"_Okay," Drew answered reluctantly as he allowed his best friend to pull him to his feet._

_They played together, letting their imaginations run wild. Mable was the one who dictated how the playtime would go. She was the fairy princess, afterall, but Andrew was not going to complain because, even though he refused to show it, he was actually having a fun time playing with her in her "fairy princess queendom"._

"_Mable, it's time to go home!" her mother called from the deck._

"_Guess I'll have to rule the queendom while you're gone, huh?" Andrew spoke up to Mable._

"_Maybe. I dunno. It might be okay." She began to run back to the deck, but stopped and turned back. "Thanks, Andrew. This was fun." With a quick peck on the cheek, she mumbled, "Bye" and ran back to meet up with her parents._

_Andrew stayed out in the backyard a little longer, watching from a distance as Mr. Maple backed the family car out of the driveway and began the drive back to their house. Once the car was out of sight, Andrew lightly touched the cheek that Mable had kissed not five minutes prior. "Goodbye Mable, my princess," he whispered, walking slowly back to the house._

888

At the back of the photo album were the most recent pics. It was there that Andrew found the pictures his mother had taken before the homecoming dance. There was Mable in her sky-blue dress, Andrew in his suit. The pictures seemed to never end. In some, he was kissing her. In others, they were looking lovingly into each other's' eyes.

It was the very last two pictures, though, which forced Andrew to slam the book shut. In one, Andrew and Mable stood by the limousine. In the very last picture, Andrew was holding the door and helping Mable into the limousine.

**_There was nothing in the world that I ever wanted more, _**he thought to himself as the tears began to fall again**_, than to feel you deep in my heart. There was nothing in the world that I ever wanted more than to never feel the breaking apart_**. He glanced at the closed photo album and pushed it quickly from his bed. **_All my pictures of you_**. **_Oh, Mable, why did you have to go and leave me all alone? I miss you and I just know that I'll never truly get over you._**

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><p><strong>Well, I wasn't originally going to end this chapter here, but, as I was writing, this seemed like a pretty good and natural spot to cut off for now. I know that this is kinda more of a filler chapter, but every story is going to need some filler chapters to, well as it says, fill out the story.<strong>

**Maybe I should "wing it" for more of my stories. The chapters always end up being longer than if I handwrite them. Must be because I don't have a word counter in front of my when I handwrite and chapters always look so much longer on paper.**

**Andrew's thoughts at the end are actually lyrics from a song called "Pictures of You" by The Clash. That was also where I got his specific memories from the album. I took the lyrics and visualized them.**

**Next chapter, we will see how Andrew fares when he finally returns to school after the winter holiday.**

**Posted: September 13, 2013  
><strong>**Edited: November 17, 2013**


	6. Upcoming Basketball Game!

**his story feels like it's been moving too slowly and too quickly at the same time. Maybe it's just me. Well…I'll work on that. As I said at the end last time, it's finally time for Andrew to return back to school…without his girlfriend. Don't fret, though, rest assured that things should hopefully start looking up for our wonderful protagonist.**

**Review Replies (Dunno why I didn't do this in chapter 4 …Must have been because I was upset about my stupid disappearing notebook. Anyway…):**

**Guest (Anonymous): Thank you very much! You would not believe how nice simple comments like this make a writer feel.**

**Digi-fanCapp: Well, we shall see. Nice guess, by the way, but the girl was just some random Jesus Freak/ The End is Near: Repent! person. She won't be showing up again.**

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><p><span>Upcoming Basketball Game! Hoenn vs Kanto!<span>

New Year's Eve had been horrible, to say the least, for Andrew. For the last several years, Mable's family and Andrew's had joined together to celebrate. Each year, they had alternated the location of their gatherings. This year, it was supposed to have been at Andrew's place, but Mable's family, still in grief over the tragic loss of their daughter, had opted to stay and ring in the new year at their own place that year. Andrew's parents had tried to get him to celebrate with them, urging their son that the upcoming year would be better. To keep with the traditions, he stayed up just long enough to watch the hour change. As soon as the new year had officially begun, he excused himself and went to bed. Though he said that he was going to sleep, he ended up staying awake, staring into the dark and thinking about the near future. In two days' time, he would be returning to school for the first time since the accident and, of course, he would be returning alone without his girlfriend. The very thought still sent an ice-cold knife right through his mending heart. Another sleepless night it had been; nothing new about that. When he did sleep, he would just dream about her. She was there and he was always too late to save her, to save them both. The ground in his dream would give way and he would reach for her, but he could never fully reach her before it was too late. He didn't believe what they said. They told her that she was gone, gone forever, but he would never believe that, not now and not ever.

Two days later, the alarm rang sharp and early, splitting the silence of his dark bedroom. How he dreaded the upcoming day! Reluctantly, he pulled himself up from his bed, smacking his alarm to shut it off as he did. Making his way over to the closet in his bedroom, Andrew picked out his favorite and most worn outfit and threw that on before making his way out to the dining room. The lights were already on and Andrew found his mother, already up, and making breakfast. She slipped her son a plate of freshly-made pancakes and continued preparing for her upcoming day of work. Andrew couldn't say that this surprised him all that much; his mother usually would make him breakfast before he left for school. Even before the accident, this has been a norm. Andrew sat down at the table and picked up the fork that was already sitting there. He was not hungry, but he knew that if he did not eat, he would face another one of his mother's "insightful" talks. Seriously, she thought that she was being helpful, but these talks always just made Andrew feel worse. Every bite was hollow as it slid down his throat and into his stomach. He tasted nothing, as if his taste buds no longer worked. Several times he repeated this until he got about halfway through what was on the plate. That was when he gave up, threw the remainder away and gave his mother a quick and quiet goodbye before walking out into the garage.

Because Andrew's parents' home only had a two-car garage, he parked his car out in a small landing on the outside driveway. Over Andrew's car loomed a basketball net. Occasionally, Andrew and the neighborhood boys and girls would choose to start a pick-up game; the location would bounce around between locations in the housing development. At these times, Andrew would move his car and park it out on the side of the quiet street. Now, though, his car sat, windshields covered in frost, on this cold January morning. The boy had come outside early because he knew that it would take time for his car to defrost before he could drive to Hoenn High School.

As he waited for the car to defrost, Andrew switched on the radio, hoping to find a station playing music instead of the morning talk shows and advertisements. On one station, a classic rock station, he found some upbeat music.

_Just hold on loosely,_

_but don't let go._

_If you cling too tightly,_

_you're gonna lose control._

Andrew opted to continue his search; he did not need the song's lyrics to be giving him advice right now. Every other station on his presets was either on commercial or they were talking about things that were occurring in the current world of pop culture. Finally, he just chose to put the classic rock station on and turn it way down low. Instead of listening to music, Andrew entertained himself by watching the frost melt as his front windshield heated up. When he could safely see out of the front and back windshields, Andrew shifted the car into drive and headed out on his way to Hoenn High.

Not ready to enter the school just yet, Andrew chose to extend his trip a little longer by taking the back way to the school. At least that would add an extra ten minutes and prolong the torture just a bit.

The extra time was greatly appreciated, but it was not nearly enough. Before Andrew could prolong his journey any longer, the familiar entrance to Hoenn High School appeared before him. Since waking up in Hoenn Hospital and over his time from the school, Andrew had gradually remembered the few things that he had forgotten. Therefore, his mother had arranged that her son's return to the school would not hinder him; he would pick up exactly as he had left off with no special assistance from the school staff.

Parking his car in the student parking lot, Andrew grabbed his backpack and headed in toward the student entrance. It was a wonder that he had been able to convince his mother to let him drive to school again; she had become fiercely overprotective, much to her son's dismay. The walk through the parking lot was not the easiest. It had snowed recently and the school's grounds crew had done little to ease the ice that lingered on the blacktop. Some salt crunched under Andrew's shoes, but even he found himself slipping occasionally.

Walking into the school, Andrew immediately noticed the stares and the whispered replies between his classmates. **_Really…could they be any more obvious?_**

"Drew! I'm so glad you're back. Man, we really missed you! So you're feeling better?" Sheesh, it had not taken Ash long to notice Andrew's arrival.

Andrew ignored Ash and kept walking toward his locker.

Ash refused to be ignored. He came right up to his friend. Seeming to forget that Andrew had yet to answer his previous outburst, Ash continued, "Hey, ya know, our big game against Kanto High School is coming up next week! It'd be great if you came! We'd love the support and I know that Misty wants you to come! She just wouldn't ask you herself! Say you'll come, Drew! It'd make us both really happy! Ya know cause I'm on the team and cause Misty likes having others there to sit with and stuff!"

**_Must Ash always shout when he talks? Does he not even know how to speak in a normal tone?_** "Ash, I have no interest in basketball. Now, please just leave me alone. I have a lot to catch up on…seeing as how I haven't been here for several weeks. You know that." His tone had been drier and harsher than normal and Andrew felt bad to speak to his friend that way, but, seriously, Ash was overly happy and Andrew just could not handle that right now.

Andrew walked the halls alone, something he had never done in his time at Hoenn High School. He had always walked with Mable before homeroom began. The crowds in the hallway, as they had always done, parted as he walked past. Still, he had never imaged how miserable it felt to walk these large, wide hallways by himself.

It felt strange to Andrew to enter his homeroom so early. Normally, he spent every available moment with Mable. Setting his backpack down, Andrew sat down and leaned back, attempting his normal and cocky posture. Though it was calm now, he knew that later when it was time for Math, he would have to put up with Ash again. Knowing this, he allowed himself to relax more because he knew that when he saw Ash again, the other boy would draw the attention their way and Andrew did not need any more attention right now.

Homeroom went smoothly enough. He got a nice and simple "Welcome back" from his homeroom teacher. Once homeroom ended, Andrew made his way to his first class. It was not too far of a walk and he made it there in plenty of time, as always. He used that extra time to arrange everything that he would need on top of his desk. As he was digging through one of the smaller compartments for a pencil, his fingertips brushed against something smooth. Pulling it out, he found a small photograph of him with Mable. He remembered this one. Mable had slipped it into his backpack as a reminder of his best girlfriend ever and so he would always have her, even when they weren't in class together. That little photograph sure came in handy right about now. Gently, he tucked that picture back into the small compartment. It was all he had left (though he still refused to believe this) and he did not want to lose it or damage it.

Because it was January, the teachers and students were turning all their attention to midterms. Midterm exams would be held in two weeks and all of his teachers offered him special accommodations because he had been out for several months. In all cases, he refused to be that special case; he knew that he would be perfectly fine come exam time. Andrew almost wished that he could have just taken cyber-school for the remainder of the schoolyear. He was never one that liked to draw attention to himself and his return from his many-month absence had created too much of a stir among the students at Hoenn High; he did not like it at all. At least things would gradually go back to normal as the week continued.

As math class approached, Andrew thought back to Ash's offer to attend next week's big basketball game. Yes, Andrew was not interested in basketball, but he had not seen his friends since they visited him in the hospital after he had awoken from his month-and-a-half long coma. Andrew also knew that his parents, especially his mother, would encourage him to attend the game.

When it came time for math, Andrew arrived early to look through his notes and try his best to catch up. Sure it would take a bit longer to catch up in math class, but he was confident that he could do it. Ash entered and took his seat. The other boy did not even say a simple greeting to his friend.**_ Is he upset that I turned down his offer?_**

After class, Andrew walked briskly (he never ran, not even in gym class) to catch up with Ash. "You asked me this morning about attending the Hoenn vs Kanto basketball game, remember, Ash?"

"Yeah, you bet. The game has been all I've been thinking about today!"

"Well, originally, I said that I didn't want to go, but I guess I changed my mind. I'll go and keep Misty company in the stands." Andrew saw Ash's cheerful expression of approval. **_Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into here?_**

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><p><strong>Nice long chapter for you all. I'm sorry if there were any random tangents in the chapter; I wrote this in about eight different sittings.<strong>

**Next chapter, Andrew will attempt to bring some closure to his thoughts on Mable. It'll most likely be a bit shorter than these last two chapters have been. Thanks for sticking with me!**

**Posted: November 20, 2013**


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